


Things I Almost Remembered

by teeandrainbows



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben is Anastasia, F/M, Inspired by Anastasia (1997 & Broadway), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, Reylo - Freeform, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:42:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22531171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teeandrainbows/pseuds/teeandrainbows
Summary: Rey stepped close to Finn.  “You and I, we’ll go down in history as the people to reunite Leia Organa and Han Solo with their son,” she whispered, grinning as she watched his own grin spread.Former senator Leia Organa is offering a large reward to whomever can return her long lost son to her.  Rey and Finn decide to find someone on the streets of Chandrila who looks like the lost prince and teach him to play the part so they can get rich... but this Kylo Ren seems almost a little too perfectly matched to the part.A Reylo AU inspired by the 1997 Anastasia movie that cherry picks from Star Wars canon.
Relationships: Finn & Rey (Star Wars), Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 28
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've heard that there's a lot of parallels with Rey's story to Anastasia, but Ben also fits as the lost prince, and I absolutely love Anastasia so here we go. My first ever Reylo fic.
> 
> As stated in the summary, I've cherry picked from Star Wars canon for this. Let's call it "vaguely taking place in the Star Wars universe" and say that everything up until the end of the OT did happen and call it a day. I'll update in chapter notes for anything huge relating to timeline and the level of canon divergence.
> 
> Finally, the rating will likely change throughout the course of the story (I do have it fully outlined), and more tags will be added.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

When she activated the holocron and saw the headline, Rey’s eyes bugged out. Leia Organa was offering the largest sum of money she had ever seen in exchange for the safe return of her son. Rey scanned the article, ignoring some of the politicalese. She vaguely remembered the story, although she had been very young at the time. The prince had gone missing during an attack on the famous Organa family, and after a bunch of politics that had no bearing on Rey’s life, the family had fallen from power and now were a distant memory. At least, a distant memory until now. There was a rumour in Chandrila that he was still alive, that he may even be in the city.

Rey rose to her feet, tossing the holocron at its base in the corner. Finn would want to hear this, she was sure of it. Already, her mind was whirling with ideas. She grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulders and checked that her hair was still somewhat neatly done up in buns before leaving the tiny unit she shared with her best friend.

Hanna City was busy at this time of day. There was a light drizzle in the air and a gentle breeze, and as Rey took a moment to breathe in the city air, she grinned. This was going to be great. As she weaved her way through the streets, Rey could feel the buzz in the air. On every street corner, she could see the same holocron message surrounded by people whispering about it. For every person mentioning the lost prince, though, there was someone shushing them, casting a worried glance at the Stormtroopers patrolling the city.

For years now, ever since the collapse of the New Republic and the rise of the First Order, it was impossible to go anywhere in the galaxy without coming face to face with Stormtroopers. They controlled everything from resources to travel, and it had been a miracle she and Finn had managed to get off Jakku and come to Chandrila for a shot at a new life and a job where they could earn enough credits to go to the far reaches and hopefully never have to deal with Stormtroopers or the First Order ever again.

At least, that was the plan as Finn told it.

Rey crinkled her nose, ducking down a dark and dirty alley to avoid a patrol. When she reached the street again, she spied her best friend up ahead on a corner. He was talking to someone, and the conversation looked heated so she waited until he turned away before dashing to him.

“Finn!” she called as she ran. He turned to face her, an unspoken question on his face, and once she reached him, she beamed. “Have you heard the rumour?” She was nearly bouncing with excitement.

He turned to her, putting his hands on her arms, mild panic written all over his face. “Shh, Rey!” he hissed, glancing up and down the street before taking her hand and pulling her down a different alley. When they had met, Rey had hated him grabbing her hand. Now, though, she didn’t mind it. Once they were far enough away from the patrols, he turned to her. “Are you trying to get us arrested?” His tone was biting and he kept glancing furtively around, as if to check that they had not been followed. She knew he had a history with the First Order, but out of respect for him she had never asked for any details.

“No,” Rey replied, deflating and wrapping her arms around herself. “They’re not going to arrest us just for talking about the rumours, though.”

Finn shrugged. “They’ve arrested people for less.” She pouted at him. “Okay, fine, I’ll bite. Yeah, I’ve heard the rumours.”

At that, her pout faded away in favour of a small smirk. Rey tapped her arm with her fingertips. “She’s offering a pretty big reward. You know? Lots of credits. We could pay off every debt we have and be free to explore the galaxy like you’ve always wanted. If we found this Ben Solo guy, we could be rich,” she said, walking in a slow circle around her friend. Appeal to his dreams. That was a good way to grab his attention.

Sadly, her friend was too cynical. “Yeah, but how are we going to find him?” Finn retorted, turning to face her. “The rumour says he’s on Chandrila, but he could be anywhere. It’s a big planet, you know. And then how would we even get all the way to… where was it?”

“Ach-to!” she piped up.

“Right. Ach-to. There’s no way we would get there without something happening along the way.”

“But think about it, Finn! We could be rich! This rumour is—”

“It’s a legend, Rey. People just want something to talk about.”

“It’s a mystery. You’re always talking about wanting to get off Chandrila and find some nice, quiet place to retire, far away from the First Order!” Rey stamped her foot. “Think about it. This Prince Ben Solo will help us fly! We don’t have jobs here. We’ve been trying to find something. Anything. This is it. This is what’s going to make us.”

Finn leaned against the mottled grey wall next to him, deep in thought. “What if we don’t find him? We can’t get the reward without him.”

Rey bit her lip, shifting her weight from leg to leg. The distant sounds of the street reached her, and she closed her eyes, thinking about it. He had a point, as much as she hated to admit it. Without Ben Solo, they wouldn’t be able to claim the money. The easy solution was finding him, but even her optimism couldn’t hide the fact that they had no idea where to start looking. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. “We don’t need him!” she announced, a bit more loudly than she intended. She beamed, though, ignoring the bewildered expression on her friend’s face.

“And now you’re not making any sense at all,” Finn replied, turning away and eyeing the patrol of Stormtroopers walking past the mouth of the alley on the street in perfect formation, their boots stomping out a rhythm on the ground. “Rey—”

“No, wait!” Rey’s brow furrowed as she thought it through. “Look, it’s been twenty years since anyone’s seen him. A lot could change. What if we… we found a man, around the right age, get him to play the part, teach him what to say? We could dress him up, take him to Ach-to, and then just imagine it. Imagine the reward his dear mother would pay.” She paused, letting Finn take it all in. They had performed cons together on Jakku and on Chandrila, but never anything this elaborate. Still, though, she watched him carefully. Finn’s eyes slowly shifted from suspicious to interested, and she knew she had him.

Rey stepped close to Finn. “You and I, we’ll go down in history as the people to reunite Leia Organa and Han Solo with their son,” she whispered, grinning as she watched his own grin spread.

“We’ll be rich,” he whispered back to her.

“We’ll be out,” she promised him, and he repeated it back.

“So? Where do we start?” Finn asked. Rey frowned, thinking it over.

“I guess we should start with auditions, try and find someone to play the part. We’ll need some advertisements. Holocron messages. We’re looking for…” she trailed off, trying to remember details of the original article.

“A man, tall and stocky,” Finn offered, his smile now firmly fixed on his face.

“Around 30 years old,” Rey added, linking her arm with his and starting to walk out of the alley. It was starting to smell, anyway, of dirty, musty water and something rancid from the gutters. “I think he had dark hair.”

“Yeah,” Finn agreed, and Rey was glad to see that he didn’t even glance in the direction of the nearest patrol as they emerged onto the street. She couldn’t help it. She giggled, something she hadn’t done in a while, and Finn glanced sideways at her.

“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” she whispered, a spring to her step as they walked. Finn laughed.

“Neither can I. You’re a persuasive one, peanut,” he replied, tapping her nose as she giggled once more.

= = = = =

Miles outside the city, Kylo Ren stood at a crossroad. It was a dreary day with a light drizzle, unusual for this part of the planet. A flock of bulabirds flew overhead, no doubt headed to Junari Point, but he hardly heard the shrill babbling of the birds. Snoke had told him that the Knights of Ren were waiting for him, but something was pulling him to Hanna City. Something he couldn’t identify, and that was troublesome.

“I need guidance,” he muttered to himself, staring at the sign. One road went directly to the hangar where the space shuttles were, and the other went to the city. Reaching into the pocket of his overcoat, he pulled out a pair of dice connected by a cord, rolling them around in his hand.

He knew what he should do. He should do what Snoke, that ever-present voice in his head, had told him and follow the road through the rolling hills to the coast. The Knights of Ren were supposed to train him. In what, exactly, he didn’t know. All he knew was that he had left the small village where he had been living with the sole thought of going to the space shuttles.

For years, all he had known was that small village. He had no memory of his childhood, and maybe it was for the best. Hux and Phasma had been good to him, teaching him everything he needed to know, but as he was approaching 30, he knew it was time for a change. The village meant everything to him, but it was all he knew. There had to be something else out there in the world, something else for him to discover.

So he had started asking questions about what life was like outside the village. Hux didn’t have any useful answers, and Phasma painted vague pictures of big cities and First Order patrols. That was when Snoke had told him about the Knights of Ren. They could train him, Snoke said. He should meet them. Kylo wasn’t sure what he needed to be trained in, but he had agreed and set out with a pack over his shoulders and the clothes on his back.

Now he was at the crossroad, fighting with himself. If he went to the Knights of Ren, it would be more of the same. He would continue to do what he was told and never see what else was out there in the world. If he went to Hanna City, however…

Kylo arched an eyebrow, staring down both roads, then down at the dice in his hand. The dice were his only clue to his past, the only possession he had to his name from before his memories started. Well, that wasn’t true. He also had his curiosity about Hanna City. For twenty years, he had felt that there was something about the city that would give him a clue as to who he was and why he had no memory of his past.

“Give me a sign,” he muttered, staring intently at the buildings in the distance. The sun chose that moment to peek through the clouds, shining a bright spotlight on the road leading to the city. If that wasn’t a sign, he didn’t know what was. He took one last look down the road that led to the hangar, then slowly took one step towards the city. The voice in his head raged at him, screaming that he was going the wrong way, but Kylo tuned it out. He didn’t want his courage to desert him. He wasn’t going to turn back. Life was full of choices, he knew that, and he had finally made his. Hanna City was there, somewhere down the road, and someone had to be waiting for him. Someone who could tell him who he was and where he had come from.

 _You know exactly who you are_ , the voice snarled at him. Kylo shook his head, picking up one foot after another on the road to the city. As his resolve strengthened, his steps quickened. He must have made quite the image, walking forward with purpose, dressed in all black. But that didn’t matter. What mattered was that somewhere down this road were the clues he needed. While Hux and Phasma had helped him, he had never been able to shake the feeling that somewhere out there was a real family waiting for him. Not that the two hadn’t been somewhat of a family to him. It wasn’t the same, though. He knew in his heart that there were things he needed to learn, and to do that he needed to set out on his own and forge his own path.

Who knew where the road would go, but all he hoped was that it would lead him on a journey to the past.

The journey took a few days, and he spent his nights at different village inns. At the end of the road, he found himself standing at the entrance to the city, staring up at the tall buildings and listening to the buzzing of the people around him. His clothes were damp from the light rain that continued to fall but he didn’t mind. Hanna City was everything he had ever imagined it would be and more. He had to step sideways as a Twi'lek pushed past him.

“Don’t just stand there!” someone snapped at him. Kylo turned, shooting a dirty look at the offending city-dweller. He was in the middle of the road, though, so he continued walking, gazing up at the buildings surrounding him. The city was greyer than he had imagined, even with the light cloud cover. Up ahead, he saw a Stormtrooper patrol marching past. Kylo swallowed, trying to ignore the voice in his head telling him he was in the wrong place and continued walking through the streets. Something was pulling him deep within the city. Something was calling to him. He didn’t know what it was, but he wasn’t going to let Snoke pull him away.

His past was here, he knew it. If only he could just find it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments and kudos on chapter 1!

It seemed that despite the looming threat of the First Order, there was a large group of men willing to pretend to be Ben Solo. Within a day of Rey and Finn spreading the news, they had a list of applicants. A day later, Finn had managed to find a dark, dingy room for rent in the old Gather-House and the pair had settled in to meet with all the men and try to find the perfect Ben. Two days later, Rey was starting to wonder if this was a good idea after all.

“Ben Solo has black hair,” she said, leaning forward in her chair and staring down the very blond man posing on the makeshift stage. The man immediately protested, claiming he could wear a wig, and Rey tuned him out. The worst part was that he wasn’t even the worst applicant. Earlier in the morning, a Twi’lek had walked out onto the room. Rey had forced Finn to be the one to break the news.

“Next!” Rey finally called over the blond’s protests. He reluctantly wandered off the stage and Rey fell back with a huff.

“We knew it’d be tough,” Finn commented from beside her, reaching out and patting her arm. Rey let out a frustrated groan, turning her head to face him.

“Yeah, I know,” she replied, crossing her arms in front of her. “I just thought more men in this city had a brain.”

She huffed, turning her attention back to the stage where another man walked out. At least this one had the right hair colour, she thought, as she stared him down, examining every inch of him. He was tall and stocky, she noted. Promising.

“How old are you?” she asked, her voice clipped from repeating the same questions all day. The man up on the stage moved his mouth, but she didn’t hear him. “Sorry, say that again?” she asked.

He spoke again with a heavily accented voice and Rey groaned. Beside her, she felt Finn leaning forward.

“You do realize Ben Solo wouldn’t have that accent, right?” he asked, while Rey nodded along.

“Ya,” the man replied, his voice drawling and high-pitched, “I can do it.”

Rey could tell he was trying to hide his accent, but it definitely wasn’t working. She groaned again, pushing her chair back and rising to her feet.

“I’m taking a break,” she announced, taking a final sip from the water that had been sitting in front of her before turning on her heels and marching out of the room. She left Finn to deal with the bewildered applicant, not even looking back.

It had seemed like such a good idea four days ago, she thought as she made her way through the dark and dingy hallway to the door leading outside. Find a guy to dress up as Ben Solo, find a ride off planet, go to Ach-to, get rich fast. A fool proof plan. Apparently, not so fool proof, Rey thought. When she reached the door leading back out onto the street, she paused, kicking moodily at a spot on the floor. It was raining again in Hanna City, and she was wearing her usual undershirt and wrappings.

Her hesitation was enough for Finn to catch up with her.

“Rey… you okay?” she heard him ask.

Rey turned around, eyeing him as he stood a few feet away, watching her through guarded eyes. He had something tucked under his arm.

“I just thought it would be easier,” she said, shrugging a shoulder. “But no one fits. This was a terrible idea.”

“No, hey. It’s a great idea. And we’ve only been going for a couple of days. We’ll find someone,” he reassured her, stepping forward and handing over what she now recognized as her cloak. “I told the next guy to come back in a couple of hours. Why don’t you go for a walk and clear your head?”

Rey gave a tired half-smile and took the cloak from him, slinging it over her shoulders and putting up the hood. Finn clapped his hand on her shoulder.

“We’ll find someone,” he repeated, staring into her eyes. “We’ll get off this planet and get ourselves to a nice, peaceful place far away where the First Order can’t bother us anymore.”

There was a long moment of silence between the two of them. “It has to be green,” she said finally, nodding at him. He nodded back, and she turned and was out the door of the old Gather-House and onto the streets of Hanna City.

= = = = =

Kylo Ren walked down the street, gazing around. He had never been to Hanna City as far as he remembered, had never seen buildings so tall. Up ahead, a holocron announcement was playing on a corner, something about some off-world rich woman offering a reward for finding someone, and Kylo paused as he walked past, turning to watch it. He squinted at the picture of the woman. Something about her seemed familiar. It was the eyes – brown, kind, and strangely sad.

_You don’t know her. You’ve never seen her before in your life,_ Snoke snarled into his mind. Kylo shook his head and continued walking. Maybe Snoke was right. Maybe he didn’t know her at all. Maybe it was wishful thinking, wanting someone to look at him with those eyes. His fingers twitched and he slipped them into the pocket in his cloak, running them over the pair of dice there. They were his only comfort, for as long as he could remember. He had asked Hux and Phasma about them many times in his youth, and all they had said was that he had shown up at the village with them. Neither knew where he had obtained the dice, only that he had not wanted to part with them. Snoke hated the dice. He had tried many times to get Kylo to dispose of them, to toss them into the river and forget about them, but he had never listened. His first act of rebellion against Snoke. And now here he was, in Hanna City, trying to figure out what he was actually going to do.

A patrol of Stormtroopers marched past him and he averted his head. He knew Snoke had some kind of influence in the First Order, and had no idea if he would be recognized. He hoped he wouldn’t.

He ducked down a side street, tugging his cloak around himself. When he emerged back onto a main street, he found himself in what a nearby sign proclaimed to be the old Eleutherian Plaza. Kylo ran his fingers over the words on the sign, then up at the older, dilapidated building with a faded symbol painted on it. The Chandrila Senate House. According to the few stories he had heard, this had been the seat of the former Galactic Senate before the First Order had assumed control. Now the building was abandoned and left to ruin. Kylo took an involuntary step forward, then another, then another until he was standing next to the old wooden door.

It opened without resistance and Kylo stepped inside, gazing around the open reception hall. Snoke was screaming in his mind but he paid it no heed. Instead, he walked around the room slowly, taking everything in. Eventually, his eyes fell on a row of portraits along the wall to the left. Somehow they had survived, although they were clearly old and fraying. Kylo ran his fingers across the first portrait, then let them rest on a duraplast placard underneath that explained it was a senator and his family. He glanced up at the row of portraits and placards.

“All the senators,” he murmured, slowly walking forward and looking at each portrait in turn. Each one showed the senator with their family. A dozen or so portraits in, there was one that showed a stern woman with a man and a young boy. The woman from the holocron, he realized, staring into those kind eyes. The man had an almost carefree look to him, and the boy had a bright smile on his face. Kylo’s eyes dropped to read the placard.

“Senator Leia Organa, her husband Han Solo, and their son, Ben Solo,” he whispered after clearing some dust from the duraplast. He looked back up at the painting, staring into the eyes of the son. He seemed so happy, so young. Kylo shook his head, turning abruptly away from the wall of portraits and out at the reception hall. At the far end of the room opposite the entrance there was a door. Letting out a breath, Kylo walked over, his footsteps heavy on the floor, and stepped through the door. It was the Senate Hall, where the senators of the Republic would have met. He stared up at the pods where senators had once stood with their advisors, waiting for their opportunity to speak on behalf of their planet. He wondered where those senators were now. How many had been killed by the First Order? The woman with the kind eyes, Leia Organa, she was still alive, but how many others?

As he stood staring up at the pods and ignoring the insults being thrown at his mind, Kylo swallowed a hard lump in his throat he hadn’t even noticed growing. There was something about this place that he couldn’t place. It seemed familiar to him. A distant memory touched at the edges of his mind, of a boy no older than ten walking across this floor and greeting a woman dressed in senator robes. He couldn’t see either figure’s face. Shaking his head, he returned to the reception hall where once again fleeting memories tugged at him. The same boy, laughing, standing with the woman and a tall, carefree man. The same two adults fighting, while the boy hid in the shadows. A taller figure covered in fur holding the boy. Figures moving through his memories, but never stopping long enough for him to make them out.

He turned, punching the wall and grunting loudly. It was too much. He wanted to know more about his past, and being here seemed to trigger… something… but it was all too much. His free hand searched his pocket for the dice and his fingers wrapped around them, turning them over in his palm. The memories were there, yet far away, glowing dim as an ember. Even now, the last remnants were fading away

Then he heard footsteps coming up behind him. Kylo froze, the last fleeting memories slipping away.

= = = = =

Rey found herself wandering around the Eleutherian Plaza after leaving the Gather-House, shooting wary glances at each passing Stormtrooper patrol. After all, what she and Finn were doing wasn’t exactly legal, and definitely wouldn’t be something the First Order would want to happen. Reuniting Leia Organa with her son could end up being the spark she needed to rise up with the rumoured Resistance and overthrow the First Order, bringing peace back to the galaxy. Or so Rey had heard. She tried to ignore politics, mostly. Finn was a little more in touch with the political world; she just stayed in the shadows, doing odd jobs to get them money.

It had been that way since Finn had first found her on Jakku years ago. He had been fleeing the First Order (she had never questioned the reason – as if anyone needed a reason to flee the First Order) and she had taken him in, hiding him. Always their plan had been to leave Jakku and start a new life somewhere where the First Order would never find them. Eventually they had found their chance and stowed away together on a ship leaving Jakku and ended up on Chandrila. Unfortunately, it was harder to stow away on Chandrila, and the First Order presence was much heavier here. Fortunately, they had been saving money for a few years and were sure they could afford a cheap shuttle offworld. And if they had Ben Solo with them, even a fake Ben Solo, then maybe they’d be able to scavenge cheaper tickets, especially with the rumours flying around. The people of Chandrila clearly wanted Ben Solo reunited with his family, after all.

Rey drew her cloak more securely around her as the rain pattered down around her, shaking off her thoughts. Another Stormtrooper patrol marched past, and, skittish, she ducked into the nearest building, one with a weird symbol painted on the side.

It wasn’t until she was safely inside the building that she realized where she was. She was in the Senate House, staring out at the large reception hall. Rey had heard about this place but had never been inside. It had seemed… too sacred. And there was also the small issue of the patrols normally watching this place closely. It had always been too dangerous.

She walked around the room slowly, taking it all in. Leia Organa had been here once upon a time. She had walked in this hall with her young son at her side. The same young son Rey was now trying to use to scam the woman. She hardly knew anything about the former senator, but maybe that was for the better. That way she didn’t have to worry about how horrible it was to scam an old woman who only wanted to see her son.

Rey didn’t have time to explore and dwell on her thoughts too much, though, as she heard a thud, the sound of a fist hitting a wall, along with a loud grunt. Hazel eyes darted around until she found the source of the sounds, a tall figure on the other side of the room. She squeaked, her first instinct being to hide, but after a moment, she shook her head.

She walked forward, towards the figure across the room. As she reached whoever it was, they turned around abruptly to face her. _Tall_ , was her first thought. She had to crane her neck to see his face, so tall he was. He was also extremely stocky from what she could see, and had dark hair.

“Who are you?” he asked in a deep voice. Rey stared dumbly up at him.

She and Finn had been searching for three days for someone to play Ben Solo for them, and the man standing in front of her was perfect for the role.

If only she could find the words to speak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they've officially come face to face! Lots of backstory this chapter, next chapter is when the juicy stuff starts!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and comments on chapter 2, and sorry for the wait!

As she stared up at the man, Rey started to notice more about him. Tall, she had already noted, as well as stocky and dark haired. Now she noticed the sharpness of his eyes, the way he seemed to have haphazardly tugged his cloak around himself. He had an almost wild look to him as he looked down at her, like a beast waiting to strike. She swallowed a hard lump in her throat, her eyes darting over him, down to the heavy boots he wore on his feet. Boots, she noticed, that were splattered with mud.

“Who are you?” he asked, his voice low and deep. And dangerous. It echoed in the wide open space. Rey gulped once again, forcing herself to look up at his face, his dark, hooded eyes. Her hands twisted together in front of her.

“I’m Rey,” she finally said after letting a breath out through her nose. “And you are?”

He turned away from her, looking at the wall. It was smooth, with no sign that he had just punched it (for that was what she figured had happened, as he kept flexing his right hand).

“What are you doing here?” came that deep voice once more, sending ripples of unease over her. Something about the man, she couldn’t pinpoint what, had her stomach in knots. She didn’t even notice that he had not answered her question.

“I was just taking a look around. I’ve never actually been inside this building,” she offered, taking a step forward.

Big mistake. He turned around, towering over her and she gulped, rapidly retreating. Something had changed in his expression, though, and against every fibre of her being, Rey decided to be bold once more.

“What were you doing in here?” she asked, keeping her chin up. He may be tall, but she wasn’t going to let him intimidate her (more than he already had, of course).

There was a long period of silence, during which Rey considered just turning around and leaving. Then, the man sighed and crossed his arms in front of him. “I was looking for something,” he said, shifting so he was standing solidly with both legs shoulder width apart. A power stance, Rey recognized, although the expression on his face screamed that he didn’t feel so powerful at the moment.

“Right,” she said, suspicion edging into her voice. Rey glanced around the wide open room, noting that the furniture was mostly pushed to the walls. “Did you find what you were looking for?” she asked, turning back to him.

He shook his head. “No.”

Feeling emboldened, Rey shrugged. “I could help you look,” she offered, gesturing around the space.

“No,” he repeated, “I don’t think I’ll find it in here.”

“Why not?” she challenged, watching the way his hands clenched at his sides, then seemed to jerk towards his cloak.

After another long, pregnant pause, he finally spoke again. “I don’t know what it is,” he admitted.

Rey blinked, then looked around the room again. “You’re looking for something, but you… don’t know what?” she asked, looking for clarification.

“This was a bad idea,” he said suddenly, brushing past her.

Rey whirled around, watching him stride off, his footsteps heavy on the floor and his cloak billowing behind him like a cloud of darkness. She thought back over the past couple of days, seeing audition after audition of men who just didn’t seem to fit the part, and now the most perfect man for the job was walking away from her.

“Wait!” she called, reaching towards him. He paused, then glanced back over his shoulder, a questioning expression on his face. Rey swallowed. “You never told me your name.”

He turned away, taking another few steps, then stopped. “Kylo Ren,” he answered.

Rey rolled the name over her tongue. Then, in an attempt to keep him from walking away, she blurted out, “Did you know you look a lot like Ben Solo? Son of the former senator Leia Organa?”

That got his attention. Kylo Ren turned around, and Rey could tell her words had affected him. His eyes were darker than they had been before and his jaw was clenched so tightly she wasn’t sure his teeth would survive. Yet, strangely, she wasn’t sure if he was angry or shocked. His expression somehow read as both at the same time.

Rey continued, taking her chance as she had it. “He would be tall, with dark hair, like yours” she offered, gesturing vaguely with her hands at him, “and he’d probably be around your age… I think?” Hopefully that wasn’t too offensive. She rambled on. “Look, my friend and I… well, I’m sure you’ve heard the rumours, that Ben Solo might be alive? And Leia Organa is offering a reward to find him?” She paused, then, hoping for some kind of positive response.

She couldn’t see clearly thanks to the distance between them, but Rey could have sworn his eyes softened, taking on more of the look of an abandoned puppy. His jaw was still set, although she saw his Adam’s apple bob. Kylo tilted his head forward after a moment.

“I saw,” he said finally, and she almost missed it but his eyes flicked sideways. She followed his gaze, seeing the long line of senator photos, then looked back at him, now more bold than ever.

“My friend and I are trying to find the lost son, and… I think you might be him,” she said. There it was. The bait. She took a step forward, fixing Kylo with a pleading look.

For a moment, time stood still. He stood there, staring at her, and Rey could almost read the turmoil in his expression. He was fighting something. Something was holding him back and she couldn’t imagine what it was.

She was about to speak when he let out a breath. “There is no possible chance that I could be him,” he said, finally, folding his arms in front of him.

“How do you know?” Rey blurted out, her voice echoing in the large room. “Where were you born? Who were your parents?”

There it was again. That forlorn, almost sad expression in his eyes. “I don’t know,” he admitted after another long pause.

Rey was starting to get impatient. “You don't know?”

“I don’t remember anything about my past,” Kylo said shortly. “All I have is…” he trailed off, clamming up.

She scoffed, mirroring his pose with her hands across her chest. “You don’t remember your past. So who’s to say you aren’t the lost son?” she asked, shifting all of her weight to one leg. “Look, my friend and I just want to reunite a woman with her son. It’s just a quick trip to Ach-To and boom,” she imitated the sound of an explosion with her lips, “mission accomplished. You learn more about your past and Finn and I, well, we have the satisfaction of knowing we did a good deed.”

She could have sworn Kylo rolled his eyes. “Are you done?” he asked, his arms falling to his sides although his hands remained clenched.

Rey shrugged. “All I know is that if I had a chance to find out more about my past, then I’d take it,” she said. With that, she marched past him, so close their shoulders almost touched. Well, they would have touched if he weren’t so abnormally tall. As she walked, she counted in her head,  _ one, two, three… _

“Wait.”

She turned, arching an eyebrow. “Yes?”

Kylo had turned, his hand out. He let it drop to his side, and now the expression in his eyes was positively unreadable. “Maybe I am him. I came to Hanna City to find out who I am. If you say there’s a chance, then…” He stuck his hands in his pockets. Rey waited expectantly. “I’m willing to take it.”

She couldn’t help the sly grin that stretched across her cheeks. “Perfect,” she said, her voice silky smooth. “I need to introduce you to Finn - my friend,” she added, turning around and gesturing for him to follow her. “Come on!”

As Rey practically pranced towards the door leading back out onto the streets of the city, she imagined the look she would see on Finn’s face when she introduced him to Kylo Ren. He would be so shocked, but so proud of her. This was really happening. They were going to get to leave Chandrila. They finally had a chance.

The footsteps behind her were heavy as they left the building. Stepping out into the plaza, the first thing Rey noticed was that the rain had picked up, a steady pattering on the ground around them. She didn’t pause, though, leading Kylo back to the Gather-House.

“Finn!” she called, almost skipping down the hall. “Finn, you won’t believe it!”

= = = = =

Kylo followed the girl, trying to ignore the nagging screaming in the back of his mind. He couldn’t shake the lingering feeling that this was a bad idea. Sure, he wanted to know about his past, but after what he had done already? He didn’t know if he could go through with this.

They stepped into the Gather-House, Kylo dragging his feet a bit on the floor. His footsteps didn’t echo as much as they had in the Senate House, but the musty smell in the air told him this building was just as abandoned as the large hall had been. That was the power of the First Order, he figured. They had obliterated the Republic.

He shook his head, focusing on the cheery girl in front of him. There was something about her, something that made him want to trust and believe her.

Her calls echoed off the walls and finally a young man stepped out from one of the rooms, carrying a small snack packet.

“Rey! I thought I heard you. Back already?” the younger man said, his eyes flicking behind Rey. Straight at Kylo.

Kylo narrowed his eyes, meeting Finn’s gaze.

“Yeah! Going for a walk was exactly what I needed,” Rey chirped, bouncing forward and lowering her voice. Kylo barely heard what she said next. “I found us a guy.”

Finn frowned, crossing his arms in front of him and Kylo mirrored his pose.

“That guy?” he asked, taking a step forward and taking a closer look.

Kylo recognized Finn at the exact moment that Finn recognized him. He scoffed, having half a mind to walk out and figure things out on his own.

At the same time, Finn was stepping back and shaking his head. “No,” he said, “Not a chance. Not this guy.”

Rey’s nose scrunched in confusion, glancing back and forth between the two of them. “Do you two… know each other?”

Kylo almost answered, but Finn cut him off. “All you need to know is that this guy’s trouble,” he said, shooting a glare at him. The younger man put his arm around Rey’s shoulders protectively.

“But he’s the perfect image of Leia’s son!” Rey protested, ducking out from under his arm. The two then had a fierce, whispered conversation, during which Kylo once again considered walking away.

His decision was made for him when Finn shot him a death glare over Rey’s shoulders.

“I don’t need you,” he said, turning on his heels. As he walked away, he heard Rey behind him.

“Wait! Don’t go!” she called, but Kylo kept walking.

= = = = =

Rey watched the tall figure disappear around a corner. Then she yanked her wrist away from Finn, rounding back on him.

“What was that? That guy was our best shot at getting off this planet!” she snapped, crossing her arms in front of her.

Finn, to his credit, looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, but… that guy. I know him, and he’s bad news.”

“Tell me what he did,” Rey said, glancing over her shoulder as the heavy footsteps grew faint.

Her friend frowned, shifting his weight from side to side. “It was a few years before I met you, back on Jakku. I was…” he trailed off, swallowing. “I’ve never told you this, but I was almost a Stormtrooper. Was drafted as a kid.”

Rey gave a soft gasp, taking a small step back from him. Noticing her discomfort, Finn quickly continued.

“I never officially passed training. Ran away, actually. But before I did… I spent some time here. Part of my training was out on some abandoned land a few days outside the city. Combat. I was trained by a woman, Phasma, and I had to spar with him. He’s with the First Order, Rey. Maybe not officially, but…” he trailed off again.

“I don’t believe it,” Rey said, shaking her head. “He couldn’t be.”

Finn shook his head. “He’s strong. And terrifying. He was part of the reason I left.”

Rey turned around, staring down the hall. “It has to be a mistake.”

“Peanut…”

“No. I’m going after him. We’ve been auditioning men for days, and someone who fits perfectly shows up? I’m not letting him slip away. We’re getting off of Chandrila,” she said, starting down the hall. “He could have grabbed me and turned me into the Stormtroopers while we came over here, but he didn’t. He’s not with the First Order, I just know it.”

Finn was protesting, but Rey didn’t listen. She continued down the hall, back to the exit, back out into the rain. Maybe later she would ask Finn to tell her more about his own training, but for now, she knew what she needed.

She needed Kylo Ren.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now is a good time for a reminder that this fic cherry picks from canon :) Consider everything to the end of the OT to be canon, but know that some things might not fit exactly :)
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and comments!

He didn’t stop walking. Kylo took long strides, leaving the Gather-House and making his way across the plaza and down a street, his cloak billowing behind him. It was still raining, but he hardly noticed. Snoke’s voice cut into his thoughts like a knife.

_ You see? You were a fool to think you’d find anything here. Now go to the hangar. They’re waiting for you there. _

Kylo shook his head, ducking into an alley and slamming his closed fist against the wall.

“There’s something here,” he muttered, trying to ignore the screaming in his head. “I just need to find it.”

But where was it?

Certainly not back with the girl with the soft lilt to her voice and inquisitive brown eyes who had convinced him even for a moment that he could find somewhere he belonged, a family. The moment he had recognized the deserter had sealed it. He had been foolish to trust her. But maybe he could find something else.

Kylo took a moment to breathe in deeply, his fingers closing around the dice in his pocket, then emerged from the alley. He continued walking, weaving a course through the city. It was strange. It was almost as if he knew where he was going.

A Twi’lek tried to sell him something but he brushed her off, instead heading deeper into the city. The rain fell in sheets around him and he paused for a moment to lift up the hood of his cloak, letting the fabric settle on his head.

His footsteps were loud on the cobblestones as he crossed through alleys and across streets. Eventually, he realized he was completely lost. He had never been in Hanna City before now, and he couldn’t even see the Senate House from where he was. He could hear gurgling sounds, though, and investigated, walking around the nearest corner.

It was a small courtyard, surrounded by buildings. In the centre there was a fountain, shooting up water in spurts that mingled with the rain as it fell into the basin. At the top of the fountain, there was a statue of a woman. Time had worn away the paint that covered it, but he could still make out the purple of the gown she was wearing. It was almost lifelike, the statue, and her face was serene, graceful. She seemed to stare out over the courtyard.

Kylo swallowed a lump in his throat, glancing around. At one point there might have been a garden around the border of the courtyard. There was an aging tree in the corner. It was a quiet, tranquil place, he noticed. He turned back to the statue, gazing up at the woman’s face. Now he noticed her hair was carved in an elaborate style, unlike anything he had seen in Hanna City thus far. Her eyes were wide and, if she were real, would have held warmth.

He felt like he knew those eyes.

Scrambling forward, he bent down on one knee to examine the placard on the rim that circled the fountain’s basin. It had been worn away by time, and he couldn’t make out the words on it. His throat constricted and he gazed back up at the statue, rain washing over his face.

“You’re hard to track down,” he heard a familiar lilting voice behind him.

Kylo rose to his feet quickly, turning around. There she was. Rey. Standing there with a confident smile on her face.

“How did you find me?” he asked, drawing his cloak around him.

Rey shrugged a shoulder. “I just asked if anyone had seen an abnormally tall man pass by.” She cocked her head to the side. “I’m not ready to give up. I’m positive you’re the lost son.” Her voice was calm and earnest.

“How can you be so certain?” Kylo took a step forward. He realized a second later he had raised his voice and Rey was shying back.

It was a long time before Rey answered, the rain drenching her. “Sometimes you just have to have faith.” She nodded at the statue behind him. “Why did you come here?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

The corners of her lips turned up. “You don’t know why you ended up at the Senate House, where Leia Organa worked countless hours as a senator. You don’t know why you ended up here. Some people might call that fate.”

Kylo’s brow furrowed in confusion. “This isn’t Leia, is it?” He turned, looking up at the statue again, trying to recall the portrait of the senator. Trying to make the memory in his mind match the face that had clearly been sculpted with care.

“It’s not her.” Rey’s voice was closer, now. He turned his head to see the top bun of her hair at his shoulders.

“Then who is it?” he asked, reaching out and touching the placard again with a gloved hand. She reached out a hand, tentatively, and rested it on his.

“You really don’t know?”

“Humour me.”

She was silent for another long moment. “How much do you know about Senator Organa’s life?”

Kylo squinted, pulling his hand out from under hers. “Not much. I know she was a senator, and that she had a son.” A son that could be him, he thought. Snoke snarled at that thought.

Rey let out a soft sigh. “She was a princess, first. From Alderaan. Separated at birth from her twin brother, after her parents both died. I’ve heard the story dozens of times.”

He shifted in discomfort. The statue seemed to call to him, to whisper.

“Who is it?” he asked again, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

Rey sat on the rim of the fountain, looking up at him. She had to tilt her head back quite far, he noticed. “Leia’s mother. Padme Amidala. She was the queen of Naboo, so the story goes, and then a senator in the old Republic. She died giving birth to Leia and Luke.”

The words hit Kylo like a full force strike from Phasma. He stared up at the statue, taking it all in. Padme Amidala. Leia’s mother. If Rey was to be believed, his grandmother. He squinted, staring at that kind, regal face, trying to find some hint of himself in the masterfully crafted eyes.

His companion was silent, her hands folded on her lap. When he turned back to her, she slowly lifted her eyes to him.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but you were drawn to the Senate House for a reason, and now here? Not too many people come out to this courtyard, not since the First Order took over. So I’ve heard. I’ve only been here a couple of times, myself.” She reached out, taking his hand and pulling him down beside her. He didn’t even blink. Strange. “But you ended up here. That’s just another sign that you’re him. You are Ben Solo, I can feel it.” She looked up at him through her eyelashes.

“If you’re right, then I’m…” he trailed off, taking off one glove and trailing his fingers through the water. “I’m royalty.”

She nodded eagerly. “You are. And I can help you get back to your family. Finn and I.”

His eyes hardened at that. “He doesn’t want me.”

Rey gave an apologetic grimace. “Finn’s had a tough life. Whatever happened between the two of you, he’s not going to forget it easily.” She paused, an unspoken question lingering in the space between them.

“He was trained out in the village where I lived,” Kylo told her, the memory flooding back. He wished it were that easy with the rest of his memories. “He was supposed to join the First Order. We sparred a few times. He lost. Then he disappeared one day.”

She looked horrified, her mouth open in a small ‘o’. “So you really are with the First Order?” she asked, scooting back, away from him. So much for believing in him, he thought.

“No. Not officially. No more than he was when he was training at the village.” He shrugged. “I was supposed to go rendezvous with the Knights of Ren, actually, but…”

He had piqued her curiosity, he could tell. She edged closer again. “But?”

“I came here, instead. To Hanna City,” he clarified, looking up at the statue again. “I wanted to find out more about my past.”

“I’ve heard she was a kind woman. And very strong. She was a role model for so many young women,” Rey said, following his gaze. “I’m sure she’d want her grandson to reunite with her daughter. His mother.” She had a knowing look in her eye.

It was Kylo’s turn to take a long pause, considering it. There were still whispers at the back of his mind, a softer voice than Snoke’s, telling him this was the right thing to do. That Rey could help him unravel all of the secrets that were hidden away under lock and key.

“Okay,” he said, finally. “I’ll do it.” A pause. “If Finn will have me.”

Rey got that mischievous look in her eyes. “He’ll have you, alright. I’ll make sure of it.”

Kylo arched an eyebrow, pulling his glove back on and rising to his feet. “Somehow, I don’t doubt that.”

Rey clapped her hands together, grinning. “Alright. We should head back. There’s a shuttle leaving tomorrow. Finn was able to scavenge three tickets. We’ll have to stop at Jakku, though. And then off to Ach-to to meet Leia!” She rambled on about the travel plans and Kylo grinned despite himself. It was a strange feeling. He felt like he was exercising muscles he hadn’t used in years to turn up the corners of his lips.

“Lead the way. I didn’t exactly keep track of where I was going.”

She smirked. “Right,” she said, gesturing for him to follow her.

For the second time that day, Kylo found himself following Rey to the Gather-House. She told him to wait outside while she went in to talk to Finn.

“I just need to persuade him, and it’ll be easier if you’re not there,” she said, patting his elbow before dashing into the building.

Kylo paced outside. The rain was finally slowing down to a light drizzle, and he glanced up at the sky. Through the city haze, he could see the clouds start to drift apart and small rays of sunshine were poking through.

“Kylo Ren,” he heard behind him. He turned to see Finn staring him down.

“Finn,” he replied coolly, crossing his arms in front of him.

“I’m only agreeing to this because I want Rey to be happy,” the younger man said, matching Kylo’s tone. “But I want to be clear. I don’t trust you.”

Kylo shrugged a shoulder. “Fair enough.”

At that moment, Rey came out of the building behind Finn. “You two done grandstanding?” she asked, her hands on her hips.

“Yeah, we’re done,” Finn said, turning to her. “Your call, Peanut.” Rey grinned, linking arms with him.

“As always.”

“You know it.”

Kylo felt a pang in his heart at the ease with which Finn and Rey interacted. There was clearly a lot of history there, and he could only wish he had someone as close as that. He coughed and both of them turned to look at him.

“Where should I stay tonight?” he asked. Rey squinted at him and he clarified. “You said there’s a shuttle tomorrow. I’m assuming you two have somewhere, but I only just arrived in the city.”

Rey almost spoke, but Finn tugged on her arm and they both turned away to have a brief, whispered discussion. Kylo waited, almost tapping his foot against the cobblestones.

Finally, Rey turned back to him. “You could sleep in the room we rented in here. We have our own place, but it’s, um, small. We’ll come back in the morning.”

Beside her, Finn was staring Kylo down. He was getting the impression that Rey had wanted him to stay with them, but Finn had disagreed.

“Okay,” he said, nodding his head once.

“And you’d better be here when we come. The shuttle’s not until later in the day, but we’ll have to get there early,” she added, her expression fierce.

Kylo nodded again, eyeing Finn once more. “I promise. I’ll be here.”

She beamed at that. “Alright! So it’s settled. Tomorrow we’ll set off, and you’ll be on the path to discovering your past!”

It was a grand statement, and Kylo shifted uncomfortably. Rey didn’t seem to notice, though, as she led him into the Gather-House to the room where he would be staying. Then, with a smile, she gathered her things and left with Finn to wherever they had been staying.

Kylo didn’t fall asleep for a long time. He found a spot to lie down on the floor and rolled the dice between his fingers. All he could think about was the portrait of Leia Organa and the statue of Padme Amidala.

His family.

He was going to find them.


End file.
